Benefits of the Memories

Stephanie Tran

Mrs. Haggerty

English 7

November 8, 2017

Benefits of the Memories

        Jonas, a young boy, has his whole world’s past in his hands. As a typical twelve-year-old boy in the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jonas is surrounded by a controlled community. Jonas has to recollect all of the world's past for his job as the Receiver of Memory, on his own, with the help of The Giver. As this becomes a fearsome job, Jonas has to decide whether or not this job is made for him or if the memories are to a great extent. He is more fortunate with the memories because he wants the community to dwell with the delights and frights of the world's history, he can see color and be more advanced than any other in the community, and he is not as naive as the Twelves and others in the community.

        Jonas, as the Receiver of Memory, holds many of the positive and negative memories. As he progresses, he desires that the rest of the community experiences this to feel the true meaning of life and to not always be perfect. As he hopes that everyone can have these memories their world began with, it’s not as easy as it seems to be, “ ‘There’s nothing we can do. It’s always been this way. Before me, before you, before the ones who came before you. Back and back and back.’ ”(154). The more that Jonas claims that he wants the community to encounter these varied memories, The Giver is not quite certain they could make this happen but something flicked in him, “ ‘Now for the first time I think there might be a way.’ ” (155). Though they struggled to help the community be equal with history, they proved themselves wrong and had great intentions.

        The more that Jonas is not exposed to the memories, he starts questioning some things, “...this was the part that he couldn’t adequately understand-the apple had changed.” (24). Jonas didn’t have any clue what was happening, “ ‘She herself didn’t change, exactly. But something about her changed for a second. Her hair looked different; but not in its shape, not in its length.’ ” (91). What he didn’t know is that he was slowly getting exposed to the memories without being chosen for the Ceremony of Twelve yet. Until that moment Jonas was chosen, he asked The Giver, he responded with,  “ ‘You’re beginning to see the color red.’ ” (94).